Dietary Supplement Use is High among Individuals with Parkinson Disease.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To assess the present use of dietary supplements among the Parkinson disease (PD) population and to determine which dietary supplements are most commonly taken. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire that was administered to individuals with PD via support group Web sites. Dietary supplement users also were asked whether they spoke with a healthcare professional about their supplement use. RESULTS: Of the 205 respondents, 83.4% reported taking at least 1 dietary supplement. Although 94 different types of dietary supplements were identified, >50% of participants taking dietary supplements took multivitamins, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 (52.6%, 74.3%, and 56.1%, respectively). Respondents reported taking coenzyme Q10, Mucuna pruriens, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, melatonin, and N-acetylcysteine most commonly for PD. Among supplement users, 29.2% did not discuss their supplement use with a healthcare practitioner. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate a high prevalence of dietary supplement use among individuals with PD, in addition to a wide variety of supplements being taken. This study's findings also indicate the need for better dialog between patients and healthcare practitioners regarding the use of dietary supplements.